New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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TonyBailey
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New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by TonyBailey »

Hi all, looking for some advice, the more I look online, the more confused I'm becoming!!!
My work has signed up to cyclescheme and I want to start commuting by bike, I'm fed up of using the car everyday, want to reduce my impact, and at the same time improve my fitness. Right now I'm an inactive guy, stopped running during lockdown and not got back into the habit... So my baseline fitness isn't great. Work is currently 9 miles away, but moving premise in the new year, and will be 5 miles from home.
Now I'm unsure whether to go for an Ebike, I've seen an EzeGo Commute EX at a local bike shop, or go for a road bike, like the Orbea Avant H40-D.
I feel the ebike would get me into cycling easier, but I feel that when I get fitter, I'll appreciate the road bike better. I'd appreciate any and all feedback and advice!
Jdsk
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by Jdsk »

Welcome.

Any hills in that commuting trip?

What's the price range?

Have you found the Orbea road eBikes. eg the Gain D20?
https://www.orbea.com/gb-en/ebikes/road ... t/gain-d20

Jonathan
slowster
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by slowster »

Even if you stopped running during the lockdown, the fact that so recently you were able to run indicates that you should have no need of an e-bike for a commute of 5 miles.

A road bike like the Orbea is also unsuitable for daily commuting. It is a fastish road bike: by the time you are warmed up and ready to start getting the benefit of a bike like that, you will already have ridden 5 miles. It has no mudguards, and it looks like it lacks the mounting points for them. You can buy detachable mudguards which attach with straps etc., but they are not as effective as a properly fitted set of mudguards with a front mudflap. No or poor mudguards results in you and the bike getting dirtier, and the bike's drivetrain's lifespan being shortened due to the road muck thrown up by the front wheel. A bike like the Orbea is lovely on a dry summer day when you are going out out for a 40 mile ride in the countryside. It's a poor choice for daily commuting, especially in winter when the roads are wet and salty.

For a 5 mile commute you want a bike that is reliable, fuss free, and has sufficiently low gears to cope with whatever hills are on the route. It should have mudguards, a rear rack to allow you to carry whatever you need to take with you, and lights (rechargeable battery lights are cheap, but the convenience of a dynamo hub which you do not need to remember to constantly keep recharging is better).

The best option is a second hand bike that ticks the above boxes, which may not cost much because such bikes are unfashionable. There may be a local charity bike refurbisher near you where you could pick up something suitable which will cost a fraction of your budget. If commuting on such a bike kindled a desire to do more riding for leisure, then later on you could buy a road bike or another type of bike (tourer, MTB etc.) which you could ride at weekends (rather than commuting on it). At that point, after riding a while, you would also have a better idea of what you want.

Below is an example of the sort of bike you should be considering. It has hub gears rather than derailleurs, which is a better option for daily commuting (albeit it has a 7 speed hub and I would prefer the simpler 3 speed hub if the hills permitted). Unfortunately it is a german brand and is not available in UK shops. You can buy it online (https://www.bikester.co.uk/vsf-fahrradm ... cgid=b4599), but I would not advise that for someone who was not already familiar with bike set up and maintenance (or willing to put the effort in to learn).

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thirdcrank
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by thirdcrank »

I'd say that a road bike - in the current use of the lingo - is not a bike for a regular commuter, by which I mean someone who cycles to work come what may, not just in the fine weather if they feel like it.

A nine-mile each way regular commute that you stick to will quickly make you into a strong rider, but IME might sicken you off before you reach that stage. At the very least, try and borrow a bike and do a few rides to see if you like it.

If the plan is to buy the bike now, then to see about commuting the shorter distance, then that's even more reason to borrow now and buy later.
PH
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by PH »

TonyBailey wrote: 5 Dec 2021, 12:13pm want to reduce my impact, and at the same time improve my fitness.
Decide which of those is most important to you.
You will get some of each whichever way you go (Though I agree with others that a roadbike probably isn't ideal, though many people do commute on one) If your priority is mainly transport and any fitness improvements a bonus, get an E-bike. I don't subscribe to the idea that they're only for people who need one, it's a choice open to all. If your primary interest is in improving fitness and you see cycling to work as a way to achieve that, get a bike that's fun to ride. But accept that the average five mile commute isn't enough on it's own to have much effect.
IMO if you're not yet a cycling enthusiast, getting something that makes the journey feel less of a chore will increase the likelihood of you using it. Plenty of people with dusty bikes in the garage that were bought with good intention, I'm sure there's some E-bikes too but expect the proportion is less.
thirdcrank
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by thirdcrank »

It's certainly true that amongst cycling commuters, the majority I see are on road bikes, generally with a rucksack and in shorts, even in this weather. Road bikes must be better for the job than what seem like the dwindling numbers of full-sus mountain bikes which were probably an earlier fashion. There must be a big element of generational norms here and I admit to having been a Carradice Longflap, mudguards with mudflaps, no shorts before Easter type, in my now long-gone commuting days. (Retired in the early months of the Blair government.)

On its own, ten miles a day (5 x 2) commuting must achieve something with fitness assuming you come to enjoy riding enough to take up longer rides on days off. I know zilch about ebikes but I could well imagine they encourage commuting when the weather is bad. Some years ago I was chatting to one of the trolley men at Morley ASDA and moaning that they had scrapped the cycle parking. He showed me where he kept his bike, which was an ebike when they were less widely available. I still see him commuting in all weathers and I think part of that is the ability to ride in heavy rainwear. I doubt the chap I'm referring to goes on day rides in his ASDA flo-yellow mac.
Jdsk
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by Jdsk »

thirdcrank wrote: 5 Dec 2021, 3:43pmOn its own, ten miles a day (5 x 2) commuting must achieve something with fitness assuming you come to enjoy riding enough to take up longer rides on days off.
There's reasonable evidence that even small amounts of exercise are beneficial to health. 10 miles/ day is a lot better than 0. Even without those longer rides. : - )

Jonathan
mattsccm
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by mattsccm »

Why not an e road bike?
PH
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by PH »

Jdsk wrote: 5 Dec 2021, 3:46pm
thirdcrank wrote: 5 Dec 2021, 3:43pmOn its own, ten miles a day (5 x 2) commuting must achieve something with fitness assuming you come to enjoy riding enough to take up longer rides on days off.
There's reasonable evidence that even small amounts of exercise are beneficial to health. 10 miles/ day is a lot better than 0. Even without those longer rides. : - )
Jonathan
Pretty much all physical activity is beneficial to health, but doesn't all the evidence suggest that it needs to be exercise to increase fitness?
I know the lines are blurred, but there's plenty of research showing the differences. Of course, we don't know the OP's commute, but much of transport cycling isn't exercise, though it's sometimes possible to make it so.
Grandad
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by Grandad »

It has no mudguards, and it looks like it lacks the mounting points for them.
I've fitted very substantial mudguards on my Orbea Gain using the built in mounting points . It's an aluminium version - the carbon fibre one doesn't have them.
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TonyBailey
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by TonyBailey »

Thanks for all the replies! Commute is from Huddersfield to Halifax, typical hilly Yorkshire! I'm currently 196cm and 140kg. Trust me the commute will help! And I'm hoping I enjoy the commuting enough to also do some longer stuff, but the commute is the main thing. If we're going for semantics, then replace fitness with weight loss!

I like the comment I saw about enjoyment. Which sways me towards the ebike; I do think I'll enjoy myself a lot more and would be more inclined to stick to cycling. You never know if I really enjoy it I can also buy a new bike without the assist!
Jdsk
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by Jdsk »

I know some of those hills, but for walking rather than cycling.

If you're going for an eBike please tell us a bit more what you need and what you fancy... I'm sure that you'll get further suggestions.
: - )

Jonathan
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TonyBailey
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by TonyBailey »

If you're going for an eBike please tell us a bit more what you need and what you fancy... I'm sure that you'll get further suggestions.
: - )
There's a local shop to me Cycle Works Yorkshire - they have this: https://ezego.bike/product/commute-ex-gents/

My workplace cycle scheme has a £2,000 limit, so therefore that's all I can spend.
thirdcrank
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by thirdcrank »

Nobody would say you lack ambition. You sound familiar with the area so you probably know that at peak times the motorised commuter traffic can be heavy and frantic. To state the obvious, your ride crosses the M62 and a lot of traffic into and out of both Halifax and Huddersfield is en route to or from the M62. It may be somebody a lot more local than I am (I'm at Gildersome, just off the M62 at J27) may know a route with less traffic than I might. The problem is that routes passing under the motorway without immediate motorway access are generally on roads that have it.

We've had quite a bit of discussion about cycling and weight loss over the years and, briefly, the consensus has seemed to be that on its own, cycling doesn't take much weight off. However, it should be a strong incentive to reduce weight by perhaps eating less so you enjoy your riding a bit more. Re choice of bike, some shops are a bit careless about advice on things like gearing, especially if a customer doesn't make it completely clear they are new to the sport. A fairly frequent inquiry on here involves how to reduce the gears, especially on a road bike. eg Don't assume that a lot of gears inevitably means a gear for every rider in every circumstance. What's advertised has improved a bit over the years but few shops stock everything. You can change the gear range on a bike by replacing chainwheels and/or sprockets but if you are buying new, you want it right immediately.

I hope this goes well for you, but don't underestimate what the first few rides will be like till you get a bit fitter.
Stevek76
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Re: New cyclist - Road Vs EBike

Post by Stevek76 »

Consider storage as well. If you don't have secure storage at work you probably don't want something that's going to look 'desirable' (I've always felt sticking mudguards and a rack on helps with this).
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